Flat bed knitting machines and method of knitting



April 1968 B. A. MONK 7 3,375,681

FLAT BED KNITTING MACHINESAND METHOD OF KNITTING Filed July 26, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet J F/G. /a.

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1 ATTORNE 5. A. MONK April 2, 1968 FLAT BED KNITTING MACHINES AND METHODOF KNITTING 5 Sheets-Sheet Filed July 26, 1965 BY lNVENT(/)WR07L AATTOifNZW April 2, 1968 B. A. MONK 3,375,631

FLAT BED KNITTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF KNITTING Filed July 26, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet 3 Eff-50 9m Ag #4,

ATTORNEY$ April 2, 1968 B. A. MONK 3,375,681

FLAT BED KNITTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF KNITTING Filed July 26, 1965 5Sheets-Sheet i,

v t ..Mwww mmmi m m w m gm: GHIIQZNIIIIZ MMA IH IMPIMWN IQ 4 c ihlwwm 0o r o w T o o o J QW WW W Q g =55 w L w w L w INVENTOR fi mmme m A?312%; ATTORNEYS United States Patent Ofiice I 3,375,681 FLAT BEDKNITTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF KNITTING Brian Arthur Monk, Mansfield,England, assignor of onehalf to S. A. Monk (Sutton-in-Ashfield) Limited,Suttonin-Ashfield, England, a corporation of the United Kingdom FiledJuly 26, 1965, Ser. No. 474,742 Claims priority, application GreatBritain, July 29, 1964, 30,086/64 5 Claims. (Cl. 66-70) ABSTRACT OF THEDISCLOSURE A method and apparatus to improve the quality of theselvedges of fabrics involving tuck loops, such as cardigan and halfcardigan fabrics, knitted on a flat bed knitting machine of the kindhaving two cooperating needle beds. Means operatively associated withthe cam boxes of each needle bed are made effective to cause the lasttucking needle in the knitting width to become inoperative so that aselvedge loop is formed on a needle which is knitting and not on aneedle which is tucking.

This invention relates to fiat bed knitting machines and is concernedparticularly with a method and means for improving the quality of theselvedge of full or half cardigan fabrics, or any fabric involving tuckloops Where all the needles of the machine, within a given knittingwidth, are operating, and especially when the knitting of such fabricsincludes a widening operation.

The method and means of this invention are applicable particularly toflat bed machines of the kind having a pair of co-operating needle bedsarranged at an angle to one another, each needle bed having a series oflatched needles which are movable individually in tricks formed therein,a series of needle arms hingedly connected to the needles, said needlearms forming part of a needle selection mechanism and being heldselectively in an operative position by resilient means (for examplepneumatic or hydraulic means), a cam box arranged to be traversed overeach needle bed to actuate the or selected needles, and a plate or bararranged at each end of each needle bed to control the knitting width bycausing those needles which are outside a predetermined width to remaininoperative irrespective of the action of the needle selection means.

It is well known in the art that, when forming a course of tuck loops,there is a tendency for loops to be incorrectly formed on the selvedgeneedles due to the fact that they are not knocked over which results,when the direction of the yarn feeder is reversed, in either the yarnbeing pulled off the selvedge needles altogether or in it being onlypartially held by the needles, for example, in the case of latchedneedles, it is looped over the latch thereof and not over the hook. Theresulting selvedge is uneven and ragged.

The above disadvantage becomes even more apparent during widening of thefabrics since any loops which are dropped at the selvedge have lesschance of being picked up and this of course increases the raggedness ofthe selvedge.

This problem has been overcome on hand operated machines by utilizing avery complicated sequence of widening. However, in order to mechanizethe sequence of operations carried out on hand machines it would entailthe use of complicated mechanisms and necessitate complicatedoperational instructions which, at the same time, would require a greatdeal of time and labour to set up the machine for diflferent fabrics.Thus, this answer to the problem would be uneconomical.

3,375,681 Patented 2., 1968 The present applicant has already proposed,in order to overcome the present problem, that the selvedge needlesshould always be made to knit irrespective of the action of theremaining needles in a course. This is effected by arranging the cams inthe cam boxes in such manner that when the machine is operating to forma course of tuck loops the last needle in the bed is caused to move itsfull stroke to full height instead of a lesser stroke to half heightwhich is the case with the remainder of the needles.

The system already proposed by the present applicant is particularlysuited to machines where the needle arms are actuated by positive andnon-resilient means, whereas it is an object of the present invention toprovide a method and means which are particularly suited for machineswhere the needle arms are actuated by resilient means, for examplepneumatic or hydraulic means as described in the copending USapplication for patent of Samuel Anthony Monk and Brian Arthur Monk,Serial No. 431,803, filed February 11, 1965, now US. Patent No.3,318,110, dated May 9, 1967.

According to the present invention, in a knitting machine of the kinddescribed there is provided a method of improving the quality of theselvedge of cardigan or half cardigan fabrics, or any other fabricinvolving tuck loops, which comprises causing the last needle in eachtuck course to become inoperative so that, on reversal of the yarncarrier, a loop will be formed on a needle which is knitting and nottucking.

It will be appreciated that the needle referred to may be the selvedgeneedle, or, where the selvedge needle is not a tucking needle, it may bethe needle next to the selvedge needle. Thus, it will be appreciatedthat in machines having two co-operating needle [beds where the needlesof one bed are arranged alternately with the needles of the other bed,it is the practice that the needles of one bed will always knit and theneedles of the other bed will always tuck when knitting such fabrics ascardigan or half cardigan. Due to the arrangement of the needles,therefore, the selvedge needles in one course along one edge of thefabric will be a tucking needle whereas the selvedge needle in the nextcourse along the same edge of the fabric will be a knitting needle.Therefore, where the selvedge needle is a tucking needle the loop willbe formed on the needle which is next to the selvedge needle and, wherethe selvedge needle is a knitting needle, the loop will be formed on theselvedge needle, it being understood that in the latter case, since thelast tucking needle is made inoperative, the last two needles in thetucking course are caused to knit.

According to the invention. furthermore, in a knitting machine of thekind described, there is provided means for improving the quality of theselvedge of cardigan or half cardigan fabrics, or any other fabricinvolving tuck loops, said means comprising in combination a rockablecam attached to each cam box to co-operate with, and be actuated by, thetucking cams in the cam boxes, and a plate or other plunger meansmounted on, or associated with, each' knitting width control bar whichmeans is, during the knitting of a tuck course, actuated by the saidr'ockable cams to move the needle arm associated with the last tuckingneedle in the knitting width out of the path of the cams of the camboxes so that the said last tucking needle is inoperative.

The invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanyingdrawings in which,

FIGURE la is a plan view in part of a pair of cooperating needle bedsforming one knitting head of a multi-head knitting machine incorporatingthe means ac: cording to the invention,

FIGURE lb is a plan view in part showing a knitting 3 2 macnmeincorporating means according to the invention, FIGURES 1a andlb beingintended to be viewed together as joined along the dot-dash linesrespectively at the right and left of these figures,

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view in the direction of the arrow 2 of FIGURE1a,

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view corresponding in part to FIGURE 1b, and

FIGURE 4 is a view, on a smaller scale, showing the knitting widthcontrol means of a multi-head knitting machine.

It will be realised that, for the sake of clarity, the drawings includethe minimum number of parts, it being considered that the constructionof the machine generally, which does not form part of the presentinvention, is well known to those skilled in the art.

Referring to the drawings, there is shown a pair of co-operating needlebeds and 11 (FIGURE 1a) provided respectively with a series of latchedneedles 12 and 13 (FIGURE 1a) which are slidable in tricks formed in theneedle beds.

Each needle has hingedly connected thereto at 14 a needle arm 15 (FIGURE3) formed with an upstanding butt 16 (FIGURES 1b, 2, and 3), said buttbeing arranged to be engaged by cams, generally indicated at 17 inFIGURES 1b and 2, arranged in a cam box 18 which is adapted to bereciprocated, in guides 19 (FIG- URE 2), over the needle bed to causeoperation of the needles. The cam box 18 also includes a tuck cam 20(FIGURE 1b) which is movable, in known manner, between an operativeposition and an inoperative position. In one position of the tuck cam 20the needles are moved their full strokes to full height to form aknitted course and in the other position the needles are moved to halfheight to form a tucked course.

The knitting machine also includes hydraulic or pneumatic needleselection means, for example as described and claimed in the aforesaidUS. Patent No. 3,318,110. These fluid actuated needle selection means,which are shown in part in FIGURES 1b and 2, comprise a block 21 havinga spring loaded plunger 22 associated with each needle arm 15, theaction of the plungers 22 being to bias the needle arms of the needlesinto an inoperative position. Needle selection is effected by pistons22a arranged in a cylinder block 22b, which pistons move the needle armsof selected needles upwardly against the action of the plungers so thatthe needle arms are resiliently held in an operative position in whichtheir butts 16 are acted upon by the cam box 18.

The machine further includes yarn carriers indicated at 50 in FIGURES 1aand 2 which carriers are arranged, in known manner, to move lengthwiseof the needle beds 10, 11 to lay the yarn across the hooks of thecooperating needles.

As shown'in FIGURE 4, the machine further includes, in respect of eachseries of needle beds, LH and RH knitting width control bars 23 and 24which are in engagement with the ends of the plungers 22 of the needlearms 15 and are adjustable lengthwise of the needle beds to causedepression of the needle arms of the needles outside a predeterminedknitting width so that the needles become inoperative. The knittingwidth control bars 23 and 24 of all the knitting heads are coupled, viabrackets 25 and 26 to control rods 27 and 28. The control rods 27, 28are connected, in the control division of the machine, to brackets 29and 30 provided on nut housings 31, 32 movably mounted on LH and RHfashioning screws 33 and 34. In use, rotation of the fashioning screwscause movement of the nut housings and thus also movement of theknitting width control bars 23 and 24. The fashioning screws 33, 34 alsocontrol the posltions of fashioning mechanisms of known constructionwhich are not shown in the drawings.

The foregoing description covers all the known features of a fiat bedknitting machine which are considered necessary for a clearunderstanding of the invention.

According to the present invention there is provided, as shown inFIGURES 1b, 2 and 3, on each cam box 18 of at least one needle bed ofeach knitting division, a frame 35 which includes a cam 36, the frame 35being pivotally mounted on hinge pins 37 provided in support brackets 38fixed to the cam box 18.

The frame 35 further includes a projecting arm 39 which is arranged tobe engaged by an actuating pin 40, which is adjustable in length forsetting purposes, and which is fixed to the upper face of the tuck cam20.

Operatively associated with the cam 36 is a roller 41 which is mountedon one end of a lever 42, said lever being hingedly mounted on a hingepin 43 secured to a bracket 44 which is fixed to the knitting widthcontrol bar 23.

The other end of the hingedly mounted lever 42 is bifurcated to receivea pin 45 fixed to a plate 46 which is arranged to slide vertically in achannel provided in the bracket 44, the plate 46 being positioned toengage the plunger 22 associated with selvedge needles (i.e. the lastneedle in the predetermined knitting width).

It will of course be understood that the latter mechanism (i.e. theroller 41, the lever 42 and the plate 46) is provided in associationwith the knitting width control bars 23, 24 at each end of each needlebed and is actuated by the rocking cam 36 of the cam box 18 as thelatter reaches the end of its stroke in each direction of movement.

In operation, when knitting a knitted course, movement of the cam box 18causes the butts 16 of the needle arms 15 to follow the cam trackindicated at 48 so that the needles are moved to full height. Duringthis time, the tuck cam 20 is in its depressed or operative position andthe frame 35 and roller 41 are in an inoperative position, indicated indotted lines in FIGURE 2, where they are out of engagement with oneanother. The frame 35 and roller 41 are biassed into the inoperativeposition by spring means which are not shown in the drawings.

In order to knit a course of tuck stitches, the tuck cam 20 is movedupwardly to the position indicated in FIGURES 2 and 3 of the drawingswhere it is above the level of the needle arm butts 16. In this case thebutts 16 will follow the cam track indicated at 49 so that the needlesare only moved to half height.

Movement of the tuck cam 20 causes the frame 35 to be rocked about itspivot 37 to the position, indicated in solid lines in FIGURE 2, wherethe cam 36 is operative to engage the roller 41. As the cam box 18 nearsthe end of its stroke, the roller 41 is caused to ride up on the cam 36.This action causes pivotal movement of the lever 42 and moves the plate46 downwards to depress the plunger 22 associated with the needle arm 15of the selvedge needle indicated at S. Depression of the needle arm ofthe selvedge needle moves the needle arm butt 16 out of the path of thecam box 18 and the selvedge needle therefore remains inoperative. On thereturn stroke of the cam box it will be seen that, since the lasttucking needle was inoperative and did not receive yarn fed by thecarrier 50 during the forward stroke, a loop will be formed on theselvedge needle, or the needle next to the selvedge needle, whichever isappropriate and which is operated to knit, and thereby prevent the lossor dropping of loops along the selvedge of the fabric.

It will be appreciated that, since resilient (i.e. pneumatic orhydraulic) needle selection means, for example, of the kind shown in theaforesaid US. Patent No. 3,318,110, are used, the action of the rockingcam 36 can override'the action of the selection means. It will furtherbe seen that, since the needle selection means are resilient, theselvedge needle arms will return to their original positions inreadiness for the next course as soon as the cam bog 18 moves towardsthe opposite end of the needle be The method and means according to thepresent invention operate with particular advantage in fully automaticmulti-head knitting machines where a plurality of knitting heads areoperated from a single control bay arranged centrally with respect tothe knitting bays.

What I claim is:

1. A flat bed knitting machine of the kind which has two cooperatingneedle beds each of which has a series of individually movable needles,a series of needle arms each formed with an upstanding butt and hingedlyconnected to said needles, a cam box mounted to be traversed over saidneedle bed to engage said butts to actuate said needles, a tucking camin said cam box, fluid actuated needle selection means operativelyassociated with said needle arms, and a pair of knitting width controldevices operatively associated with said needle arms, characterised inthat said machine includes means for improving the quality of theselvedge of fabrics involving tuck loops when knitted thereon, saidmeans comprising a rockable cam operatively associated with said cam boxto cooperate with, and be actuated by, said tucking cam in said cam box,and plunger means mounted on each of said knitting width control devicesand operatively associated with said rockable cam, said plunger meansbeing actuated, during the knitting of a tuck course, by said rockablecam whereby to move the needle arm associated with the last tuckingneedle in the knitting width out of the path of the cams of said cam boxso that said last needle is rendered inoperative.

2. A flat bed knitting machine of the kind which has two cooperatingneedle beds each of which has a series of individually movable needles,a series of needle arms each formed with an upstanding butt and hingedlyconnected to said needles, a cam box mounted to be traversed over eachneedle bed to engage said butts to actuate said needles, a tucking camin said cam box, fluid actuated needle selection means operativelyassociated with said needle arms, and -a pair of knitting width controldevices operatively associated with said needle arms, characterized inthat said machine includes means for improving the quality of theselvedge of fabrics involving tuck loops when knitted thereon, saidmeans comprising a rockable cam, a frame hingedly mounted on said cambox and supporting said rockable cam, an actuating pin secured to saidtucking cam and being engageable with said frame for rocking the latterand said rockable cam, and plunger means mounted on each of saidknitting width control devices and operatively associated with saidrockable cam, said plunger means being actuated, during the knitting ofa tuck course, by said rockable cam whereby to move the needle armassociated with the last tucking needle in the knitting width out of thepath of said cams of said cam box so that said last needle is renderedinoperative.

3. A flat bed knitting machine of the kind which has two cooperatingneedle beds each of which has a series of individually movable needles,a series of needle arms each formed With an upstanding butt and hingedlyconnected to said needles, a cam box mounted to be traversed over eachneedle bed to engage said butts to actuate said needles, a tucking camin said cam box, fluid actuated needle selection means operativelyassociated with said needle arms, and a pair of knitting width controldevices operatively associated with said needle arms, characterized inthat said machine includes means for improving the quality of theselvedge of fabrics involving tuck loops when knitted thereon, saidmeans comprising a rockable cam operatively associated with said cam boxto cooperate with, and be actuated by, said tucking cam in said cam box,plunger means comprising a bracket fixed 70 to each of said knittingwidth control devices and a platelike plunger member slidably mounted ineach of said brackets, one end of said plunger means being in operativeengagement with said needle bars, and a pivotally mounted lever formedat one end with a roller for engagement by said rockable cam and at itsother end being hingedly connected to the other end of said plungermember, said plunger means being actuated during the knitting of a tuckcourse, by said rockable cam whereby to move the needle arm associatedwith the last tucking needle in the knitting width out of the path ofthe cams of said cam box so that said last needle is renderedinoperative.

4. A flat bed knitting machine of the kind which has two cooperatingneedle beds each of which has a series of individually movable needles,a series of needle arms each formed with an upstanding butt and hingedlyconnected to said needles, a cam box mounted to be traversed over eachneedle bed to engage said butts to actuate said needles, a tucking camin said cam box, fluid actuated needle selection means operativelyassociated with said needle arms, and a pair of knitting width controldevices operatively associated with said needle arms, characterized inthat said machine includes means for improving the quality of theselvedge of fabrics involving tuck loops when knitted thereon, saidmeans comprising a rockable cam, a frame hingedly mounted on said cambox and supporting said rockable cam, an actuating pin secured to saidtucking cam and being engageable with said frame for rocking the latterand said rockable cam, a pivotally mounted lever formed at one end witha roller which engages said rockable cam and at its other end is ofbifurcated formation, a bracket fixed to each of said knitting widthcontrol devices, and a plunger plate slidably mounted on each of saidbrackets one end of said plunger plate entering into engagement with theneedle arm of the last needle in the knitting width, the other end ofsaid plunger plate being provided with a projection which is received inthe bifurcated end of said lever, whereby, during the knitting of a tuckcourse, movement of said rockable cam into an operative position causesthe needle arm associated with the last tucking needle in the knittingwidth to be move-d out of the path of the cams of said cam box so thatsaid last needle is rendered inoperative.

5. A method of knitting fabrics involving tuck loops such as cardiganand half cardigan fabrics with improved sel'vedges, on a flat bedknitting machine having two cooperating needle beds one of which isoperable to form tuck loops and the other of which is operable to formknitted loops, cam boxes, and a yarn carrier which feeds yarn to saidneedles, said method being characterized by operating the needles of oneof said needle beds to knit and operating the needles of the other ofsaid needle beds to tuck by moving the cam boxes together with theyarncarrier lengthwise of said needle beds; and rendering the lastneedle in said needle bed forming tuck loops inoperative, whereby saidlast needle is not fed with yarn by said yarn carrier and a loop formingthe fabric selvedge is formed on one of said needles which is knittingand not on one of said needles which is tucking.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,416,933 3/1947 Lynam et al66-154 2,442,822 6/ 1948 Monk 66- 126 2,718,130 9/ 1955 I-Iafner 6 6- 683,089,322 5/ 1963 Bruce et al 66-154 FOREIGN PATENTS 892,332 3/1962Great Britain.

M'ERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. R. FELDBAUM, Assistant Examiner.

